ACE would like to thank the many donors who have contributed to our MCGives campaign to raise $50,000 to complete interior construction of our new office space at Moon Gate Plaza. Today is the final day!
If you haven’t donated yet, you can still do so, today only, on our ACE page at MCGives!
Donate to Asian Cultural Experience (ACE), Salinas Chinatown
What’s up for ACE in 2021? First and foremost, we will be moving forward with our plans to purchase #37 Soledad St. (Republic Cafe; see images below), and the neighboring #39 Soledad St. (El Faro) in order to merge and renovate both as the Chinatown Cultural Center and Museum. We will be raising funds for the purchase phase of the project with the deadline scheduled for Dec. 2021.
In the meantime, we will continue our historical and educational projects from our office/gallery location. Look for these projects both online and (when it’s pandemic-safe) in Suite A, Moon Gate Plaza, corner of Soledad and Lake Sts.
Asian Cultural Experience (ACE) Salinas Chinatown office/gallery, corner of Soledad and Lake Sts.
The 13th Annual Asian Festival (previously scheduled for end of April) has been cancelled, with a possibility of rescheduling later this year, pending further information about the coronavirus.
Right now, ACE continues (online) behind the scenes. We are gearing up to hold meetings via ZOOM; we’ll be publishing our first newsletter this month, which will be sent to ACE members, and continuing to make plans for the future, looking forward to the time when we will be able to move into our space at Moon Gate Plaza, and start up our offline projects again.
One of our partners, Dorothy’s Place, has been providing for folks who are unhoused and living in tents/on the streets in Chinatown. Dorothy’s has placed water and 3 washing stations outside their building, they continue to provide meals for takeout, coronavirus information, as well as general health and counseling services. Please consider making a donation to Dorothy’s Place.
ACE is looking forward to Spring (or early Summer) when we will be occupying our new office/exhibit/gallery/library/meeting space in Suite A on the corner of Soledad and Lake Sts. (Moon Gate Plaza) in Salinas Chinatown! We can’t wait to start new projects. Exhibits? Workshops and classes? Art? Movement? Discussion groups? Films and lectures? Contact us if you have ideas… We are also thinking of a sculpture or memorial to place on that empty plinth in front of our entrance.
We would love to be open during the Asian Festival (last Saturday in April), but we are not sure if the space will be ready by then. Regardless, stop by during the Festival for a look, or if open, drop in and say Hi!
Left: Geia Benson & her father. Right: Harvey House Board members Jeannie Hori-Garcia and Carlos Mariscal.
On May 3rd, we held the official opening for our Stories of Chinatown exhibit at the Historic Harvey House education center (at the Salinas Train Station) in Salinas. We had a wonderful time chatting with guests about Chinatown’s history. The exhibit will be open every Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and every First Friday of each month through May, June, and July, 5 to 8 p.m. We will be open this Saturday, May 18, for Salinas Founders Day, and our docents will be available to discuss the exhibit with visitors.
Front door of the Harvey House about a week before Opening Day.
ACE members emeriti Wally Ahtye, Wellington Lee, and Al Baguio contributed their historical knowledge, memories, and many historical images, along with the ACE project team, consisting of both Board and regular members. Alex Fabros, Jr. (a FANHS member) also contributed text and photographs. Organizations such as the Chinese Association of Salinas, the Buddhist Temple of Salinas, the local branch of the Filipino American National Historical Society, and the Filipino Community Center of Salinas Valley also contributed to the project.
Part of the ACE Project Team, in the early planning process. L. to R: Jean Vengua, Deborah Silguero, Larry Hirahara, Al Baguio, and Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Wellington Lee and Deborah Silguero talk during the planning phase.
Guests chatting in front of the Filipino exhibit.
In the Harvey House mansion; Cheese, fruit, and bread from Star Market; cheese board selection by M.A. Fink. Pastries from Carolina Groyon-Cattani.
More food!
Rocamora Family with Jean Vengua and Henry Gong.
CSUMB students Izabella Edwards and Geia Benson contributed their ideas and creative skills to the exhibit.
Visitors checking out the panels.
Profs. Ruben Mendoza and Jennifer Lucido and their students contributed greatly to the archaeological exhibit. Service Learning Institute students contributed their creative ideas and artistic skills to various parts of the exhibit.
ACE Co-chair Cathy Chavez-Miller created the panel on Latino businesses in Chinatown.
Upper photo: Amanda Duncan with Jean Vengua. Amanda created an artful display of shards from the archaeological dig and presented it on a panel that simulated the cement environment where they were found.
Mr. Roland Teraji was happy to find his grandparents represented in the Japanese part of the exhibit. ACE Treasurer Larry Hirahara created the Japanese Panels.
“Stories of Chinatown” gave us a chance to tell the larger story of Salinas Chinatown–actually two Chinatowns, the first founded in 1872, and the second in 1893–and to incorporate first-person narratives from residents and business owners in Chinatown.
It was great to have calligrapher Mihoko Dreyer participate on Opening Day, sharing her calligraphy skills with the public. Thank you! ACE Board member Herb Wong at the front door, next to our Thank You panel.A photo from the production period: Deborah Silguero (foreground) working with the texts, Geia Benson painting the ACE logo, and Larry Smith checking out the wall for mounting the Chinese panels.
Just as important, we were able to create curriculum materials and hands-on experiences for the 3rd- to 5th-grade primary school students who often tour the Harvey House with their classes. (Thanks to Kathleen Cata Fitzgerald for translating our curriculum materials into Spanish!) The exhibit also encouraged students to think about their own family histories and journeys. We will be posting more photos of the exhibit and its visitors, and hope you will come and visit Stories of Salinas Chinatown!
Japanese and Filipino panels.More shards researched and partially reconstructed by the archaeology students.
The Chinese Association of Salinas allowed us to use their Lion Dancer outfit for the exhibit.
Where: Art & Culture Gallery at the National Steinbeck Center, #1 Main St., Salinas, CA
When: Open Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, 11:00 to 5:00 daily.
Reception: Tues., Oct. 2, Art & Culture gallery (inside the Steinbeck exhibit hall), 5:30 pm; join us for discussion and food (including lumpia!).
Asian Cultural Experience (ACE), the National Steinbeck Center (NSC), and the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) of the Monterey Bay Area are pleased to sponsor an exhibit, “Narciso Bulosan Caliva’s Postcards from Salinas.” Filipino American historian Alex Fabros is the curator of the exhibit, which will be open from Oct. 1, through Nov. 30, 2018 in the “Art & Cultural Gallery” of the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas. The opening reception will take place at 5:30, Oct. 2, in the National Steinbeck Center Bookshop. Join us for discussion and food with Alex Fabros and ACE members.
Narcisco Bulosan Caliva & Friends outside his photo studio in Salinas Chinatown. Caliva family collection. 1930s.
This exhibit will feature historic photo postcards produced in the Caliva Photography Studio in Salinas, Chinatown during the 1930s and 1940s. Filipinos and their families, along with other residents of Chinatown, came to Caliva’s studio to be photographed and have their images reproduced on postcards they could mail to family and friends. Also featured will be commentary on the history of Filipinos in the Salinas Valley. Some of the people in the photos have not been identified; for the historical record, we encourage the public to visit our exhibit and help us name these people.
Last month, ACE members with Alex Fabros met at the National Steinbeck Center to select photos to use for the exhibit. Photo by Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Today we attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for Moon Gate Plaza, developed by MidPen Housing. This project was a long time coming, and ACE members are very happy that this day has finally arrived. As most of the speakers explained, along with MidPen, it took a community and the City of Salinas to make this all happen — a network of cooperation between individuals, organizations, and the City. We look forward to a development that will feature 90 units of affordable and transitional housing, with space for retail and services, as well as an art and events gallery and work spaces for artists.
One thing that many people may not know is that long-time resident and historian Wellington Lee came up with the name “Moon Gate Plaza.” As I sat next to Wellington in the audience, he remarked that it was both “a happy day, and a sad day.” He was very happy to see the area finally undergo development. But he was also a little sad, because the corner lot that he considers “sacred ground” will be covered over; a corner of the site was once occupied by the old joss house, mentioned by John Steinbeck in East of Eden. Nevertheless, Wellington also felt that the ancestor gods would be pleased to see what is being done with the area.
Below are some photos from the event:
Prior to the ceremonies, a partial view of the construction site. Photo: Jean Vengua.
Prior to ceremonies: the staff prepared some care packages for those who lived on the streets in Chinatown. Photo: J. Vengua.
ACE Board member Richard Villegas with Luna. Seated behind him: Wellington Lee & Jean Vengua. Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Congressman Panetta speaks. Bing Gong Tong building in background. Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Mayor Gunter and Council member De La Rosa speak. Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller.
L to R, ACE members Larry Hirahara, Dom Siababa, and Henry Gong. Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller.
County Supervisor Luis Alejo speaks. Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Joshua Kristianto (standing) of KION News listens attentively. He later interviewed ACE Board Member Larry Hirahara. Photo: Jean Vengua.
Elizabeth Betsy Wilson, MidPen Director of the Moon Gate Project. Photo: Jean Vengua.
Richard Villegas with ACE Co-chair Cathy Chavez-Miller, and Luna.
Mona Ortiz introduces herself to Wellington Lee (her parents used to work for his parents). Photo: Cathy Chavez-Miller.
Tents set up for the groundbreaking ceremony. Photo: Jean Vengua.
YOU ARE INVITED to our ACE/Asian Festival Fundraiser, featuring Aireene Espiritu & The Itch: March 24, 2 to 5 pm, at the Filipino Community Center, 250 Calle Cebu in Salinas. Mike PZ & Assoc. will open with an acoustic performance. Open to all ages: kids are free!
Listen to Aireene Espiritu singing “Going Back Where I Belong” (audio): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiCB_ZucWZg Although we offer discounts for students with ID and persons over 65, please consider donating $20 or more to cover our costs and to benefit ACE and Asian Festival programs. For more information, see the flyer, below.
Earlier this year ACE received a strategic planning grant from the Community Foundation for Monterey County. Yesterday, Dec. 5, we had the first of two retreats; this one focused on broad themes: our vision, mission, and priorities. It was a resounding success. Thanks to our consultant Nicole Young for her expert guidance and facilitation, to the members who attended the retreat, to the Buddhist Temple of Salinas for providing us with space, and to the Community Foundation for Monterey County. It was a very productive retreat, and we are looking forward to the next one. Some photos, below:
Nicole Young gives us an overview…
Alice Lum, Larry Hirahara, Richard Villegas, and Rina Benmayor (foreground) in discussion, while Nicole writes. Also in attendance (not pictured here) were Jean Vengua, Cathy Chavez-Miller, Wellington Lee, Jess Tabasa, Henry Gong, and Al Baguio. On the right, some of the results of our brainstorming session.
Henry Gong during our lunch break. We placed photos and exhibit boards from our archive around the room to remind us of Salinas Chinatown’s legacy and history:
On Saturday, June 13, 2015, Jean Vengua, ACE Co-Chair and member of FANHS (Filipino American National Historical Society), will be giving a talk on Pre-WWII Filipino newspapers published on the West Coast, with a special focus on the Philippines Mail, published out of Salinas — the longest running Filipino newspaper published in the U.S. (from 1920s to the 1980s).
WHEN: Saturday, June 13, 2015, 12:30 pm.
WHERE: Filipino Community Center, 2nd Floor, on Calle Cebu St., Salinas. The event will take place during the FANHS general meeting. Come and learn about Filipino American history at this event.
Rev. Orai Fujikawa, resident minister of Buddhist Temple of Salinas, has established a Nembutsu Meditation program for the people in Salinas. This practice has been gaining professional interest in many areas of medical application. Recent publication in the main stream Journal of American Medical Association underscores the seriousness of this interest, and helps to bring attention to meditation as a technique for dealing with the suffering and stress experienced in daily life. This program is open to anyone who has interest in meditation. Although it is held at the Buddhist Temple, anyone of any faith should feel welcome. The date is 9AM-10AM every Saturday, at 14 California St. Salinas, but please check their calendar to verify the date and time, or Tel 424 4105 for the latest information, as it may be cancelled on some Saturdays.
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